Akutagawa Ryunosuke
(March 1, 1892 - July 24, 1927)
He was born in Tokyo. His Parents were Shinbara Toshizo and Fuku. They named him "Ryunosuke" (Dragon Offshoot) because he was born in the Year of the Dragon, in the Month of the Dragon, on the Day of the Dragon, at the Hour of the Dragon (8 a,m,). After his birth his mother went insane and he was adopted by his uncle and took the Akutagawa family name.
In 1915 his short story Rashomon was published in the magazine Teikoku bungaku.
In 1916 the story Hana (The Nose) was published in a magazine as well.
After graduating from Tokyo University, Akutagawa got a reputation as a highly skilled stylist.
Some of his works
Edo-momo (stories set in the Edo period)
-Gesaku zanmai (A Life Devoted to Gesaku, 1917)
-Karenosho (Gleanings from a Withered Field, 1918)
ocho-mono (stories set in the Heian period)
-Jigoku hen (Hell Screen, 1918)
Kirishitan-mono
-Hokonin no shi (The Death of a Christian, 1918)
kaika-mono (stories of the early Meiji period)
-Butokai (The Ball, 1920)
Later works Mikan (Mandarin Oranges, 1919) Aki (Autumn, 1920) Daidoji Shinsuke no hansei (The Early Life of Daidoji Shinsuke, 1925) Tenkibo (Death Register, 1926)
Later on in his life an "uneasiness" clouded his life. It can be seen in some of his last works. Kappa (1927) and Bungeiteki na, amari ni bungeiteki na (Literary, Much Too Literary, 1927) Aru aho no issho (A Fool's Life) and Haguruma (Cogwheels)
Akutagawa killed himself by taking an overdose of sleeping medicine.
His friend, Kikuchi Kan, established the Akutagawa Prize in 1935 and it is now the literary award most coveted by new writers.
(March 1, 1892 - July 24, 1927)
He was born in Tokyo. His Parents were Shinbara Toshizo and Fuku. They named him "Ryunosuke" (Dragon Offshoot) because he was born in the Year of the Dragon, in the Month of the Dragon, on the Day of the Dragon, at the Hour of the Dragon (8 a,m,). After his birth his mother went insane and he was adopted by his uncle and took the Akutagawa family name.
In 1915 his short story Rashomon was published in the magazine Teikoku bungaku.
In 1916 the story Hana (The Nose) was published in a magazine as well.
After graduating from Tokyo University, Akutagawa got a reputation as a highly skilled stylist.
Some of his works
Edo-momo (stories set in the Edo period)
-Gesaku zanmai (A Life Devoted to Gesaku, 1917)
-Karenosho (Gleanings from a Withered Field, 1918)
ocho-mono (stories set in the Heian period)
-Jigoku hen (Hell Screen, 1918)
Kirishitan-mono
-Hokonin no shi (The Death of a Christian, 1918)
kaika-mono (stories of the early Meiji period)
-Butokai (The Ball, 1920)
Later works
Mikan (Mandarin Oranges, 1919)
Aki (Autumn, 1920)
Daidoji Shinsuke no hansei (The Early Life of Daidoji Shinsuke, 1925)
Tenkibo (Death Register, 1926)
Later on in his life an "uneasiness" clouded his life. It can be seen in some of his last works.
Kappa (1927) and Bungeiteki na, amari ni bungeiteki na (Literary, Much Too Literary, 1927)
Aru aho no issho (A Fool's Life) and Haguruma (Cogwheels)
Akutagawa killed himself by taking an overdose of sleeping medicine.
His friend, Kikuchi Kan, established the Akutagawa Prize in 1935 and it is now the literary award most coveted by new writers.